Swimmer&#39;s paddle



Feb. 7, 1928. 1,658,730 M. MacRAE SWIMMER S PADDLE Filed Deo. 29. 1926 f in Patented Feb. 7,1928.

UNITED STATES MALCOLM MAGRAE, F LONG- BLH, CLIERI. l

swnvnenn's Pennini.

Application led December 29, 1926. Serial No. 157,688.

rl"his invention relates to swimmers paddles, and has for an object to provide a device which will enahle a swimmer in the water vio propel himself through the water with comparatively great rapidity.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device which has a handle that the swimmer may grasp, and a pair of pivoted paddles thereon which are collapsible and which afford comparatively great resistance to the water as the swimmer is making his advanced stroke, lout which will oiixer little resistance to the water as the swimmer is making his return stroke.

A still further object of my invention is 'to provide a device which is extremely simple in its construction, elicient in its oper-4 ation which. can he manufactured at a very nominal cost and which is well adapted to perform the services required of it.

lVith the foregoing and other ohjectsin View which will he made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying` drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein: y

Figure 1 is a View showing a pair of my novelyswimmer paddles in actual use hy a person represented as swimming in a body of water. One paddle shown in this ligure is extendedforresistance to the water ast-he sn'finirner makes his advancedstrokesj The `other paddle is shown 'collapsed as the swimmer is making his return stroke.

Figure 2' is a plan View of one of the paddles embodying the principles of myf invention showing the same in an extended position. v

Figure 3 is a side view of the disclosure illustrated in `Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a side sectional-view taken along` the lines 4-4 of Figure 2. i

Referring to the accompanying. drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, my novel swimmer paddle is represented as an entirety at 1, and comprises a gripping mem# her 2. This gripping member is substantially cylindrical in shape and is preferably provided with slight curves whereby the same may comfortably conform to the shape of the swimmers hand. This handle may he formed of wood, cork, metal, hard rubber or the like, but when it is constructed of metal, it is preferable to use metals Ofcomparatively light weight suoli as aluminum or the like. The handle may be either solid or hollow as desired, and `in the drawings I have shown a solid handle which is provided at its end with a pair vof flanges 8 and 4. rFliese flanges fornied hy virtue of out out portions 5 and dl On the handle 2, the forward contour of the flanges conforms` or 1s continuous with, the forward contourl of handle 2, hut slopes slightly rearwardly so as to `allevifute any frictional resistance to the water. The flanges 3 and 4 are preferahly rounded as shown in the dotted lines 7 and 8 of Figure 2. The purpose of these flanges will he set forth hereinafter. A pair of paddle members shown at 9 and 10 having concave-convex surfaee`34 and 35 respectively, are pivot-ed to the handle member as at 11 and 12, hy means of a suitable pin or the like. These members mayhepivoted at any desirable point on thehandle.member but as clearly shown in Figures Sand 4, I prefer to pivottheni to the flanges i3` and 4 aty a point adjacent the cut-out portion. Thesepaddlesrare provided with suitable cut-out portions 15, and the l lugs consequently formed hy virtue of the cut-out portions eXtending preferably at an angle to the plane of the paddle as shown at 16, whereby the same may form elementsof the hinge. The apertures extending through these lugs are adapted to he brought into alignment with `the pintle pin extending through the flanges 3 and 4. In this mannerthe paddles 9 and 10 are pivotally associated with the handle #2. The paddles 9 and 1() are substantially cylindrical in form and are preferably coneavofconvex as may he seen in Figure 3, and have their 'convex surface extending forwardly, whereby as little resistance as possible offered to the waterupon the return stroke, and whereby the maximum amount of resistance is offered to the water on the forward stroke. The iianges 3 and 4 are provided on their inner surface with a pair of shoulders 2() and 2l against which the paddles are adapted to abut to limitvtheir forward swinging movement, and the resistance of the paddles to the water is imparted thus to the flanges 3 and 4 and consequently through the handle to the arm of the swimmer. The cut-out portions 5 and 6 in addition to providing the shoulders 2O and 21, provide shoulders 23 and 24, which shoulders serve to prevent complete collapsing ci the paddles and in this mannerthe forearm ot'the swimmer is guarded from Contact with the paddles. In order to prevent undue napping,r ot' the paddles, an elongated aperture is termed longitudinally ot the handle as shown at 30 and Y extending throughthis aperture is a coil spring 3l which spring isiormed ot `material having a very high degree ot resiliency. A pair othooks 32 and 33 may be secured to the inner edge ot the paddles, `to which hooks the spring 3l is operatively connected. Thus the paddles 9 and l() are held in eollapsed relationship when the device is not in use, or when in use when the return stroke is being made. The provision of this springhowever, is immaterial, but I have preferred to show the same illustrated in the drawings, although I contemplate manufacturing my device without including'y in the manufacture thereof, anyineans for holding' the paddles in collapsed relation. I do not however, waive any rights to claimingr the use of ysaid ,spring as a.l distinct advantage and part of my invention. In actual use, a pair of these paddles are provided the swim- 1ner.` TThe handle of each one is grasped by the swinnner and the convex surface of the concave-convex paddles are positioned so as to extend forwardly. As the swimmer performs his forward or pulling stroke, the

` paddles iy outwardly and the concave surface of the paddles offers considerable resistance to the water, whereby the swimmer may be propelled forwardly. As the swimmer makes the return stroke with his arm, the action of the water, together with the action of the spring 31, serves to collapse the paddles as shown in Figure l, whereby little resistance is offered by the paddles to the water. It is obvious then that I have provided an eliicient swimmers paddle which will operate efficiently, which is not likely to get out of order, and which per forms the services required of it adequately. It will be` understood that various changes iu the detail ot construction Vmay be made without departing. from the spirit and scope ot the invention as delined by the appended claims. .i i

I claim: i

l. A swiinniin paddle comprising in conibination a gripping member having a pair of paddles pivoted thereto, said paddles being eoncavoeinivex in torni, means for lim itingthe vtor'ward swinging movement el said paddles, means for limiting the rearward swinging movement of said paddles, and means for urging said paddles into eollapsed relation, said means comprising a spring, ente-idling longitudinally ythrough said handle and attached to said paddles.

A swimming paddle comprising in coni bination a gripping member having a pair ol" paddles pivoted thereto, means l'or limitinir the :torward swinging movement o'l" said paddles, means for limiting,`r the rearward swinging movementot said paddles, and means for urging said paddles into collapsed relation, said means comprising a spring;r extending longitudinallj)7 through said han ille and attached to said paddles.

` i swimming paddle comprising in conibination a gripping member, said gripping,"l

- member having1 an arcuate :forward surface,

laterally extending,l wings, a rcarwardlf.' extendingl shoulder portion, apair of paddles. each liavin,r a biiurcated end pivoted to said wings and straddling the same, whereby the lorward and rearward swinging niort-firent of said paddles will he obstructed hy said lwings and said shoi'ilder.

inrncomi Miami s.`

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